There’s nothing better than a fresh round of NHL trade rumours! Last Word On Hockey has the latest rumblings from around the NHL. Let’s take a look at the chatter surrounding veteran Pavel Datsyuk, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
NHL Trade Rumours
Detroit Red Wings
Pavel Datsyuk
Rumour: Bob McKenzie of TSN.ca reported on Wednesday that it’s unlikely Datsyuk will return to the NHL.
Analysis: After Datsyuk announced he would not be returning to SKA St. Petersburg next season, speculation that he’d be returning to the NHL, and more specifically his former team Detriot Red Wings, began to spread like wildfire. The 40-year-old center spent his entire 14-year career with the Red Wings before leaving for the KHL after the 2015-16 season.
In 135 games with SKA, Datsyuk posted 32 goals and 111 points. One of the most arguable points is that as his age goes up, his production will most likely go down. And quite honestly, Detroit doesn’t seem to have a whole ton of space on their roster to take on the shorter-term contract they’d inevitably want to offer Datsyuk.
Datsyuk had one year left on his NHL contract with a $7.5 million cap hit before he left the league. Detriot traded his contract to the Arizona Coyotes, who currently own his rights until July 1st of this year. However, much to the dismay of Red Wings fans, McKenzie stated in his tweets this week that it’s more likely Datsyuk moves to the KHL’s Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
Edmonton Oilers
Rumour: Elliotte Friedman mentioned multiple possibilities for the Edmonton Oilers general manager position in this weeks 31 Thoughts.
Situation remains fluid but it seems Hunter and K.Gretzky are down to the wire. Sense is Burke really impressed, was very close as well and could be an option for other roles. Wild card is a Ken Holland change of heart, but barring a surprise, my guess is it's a 2 horse race now
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) May 2, 2019
Analysis: Since firing Peter Chiarelli on January 23rd, the rumours surrounding who would take his place as GM have run rampant. The list of “could be” candidates seems to be growing at a rapid pace. That list includes Sean Burke, Mike Futa, Pat Verbeek and more.
Friedman notes the Oilers appear to want to solidify their GM as quickly as the next week-to-ten days. Mark Hunter had two interviews with the club, and two new contenders names were also tossed into the ring. With the Under-18s finished, Ken Holland and Kelly McCrimmon have found themselves the center of attention around this subject.
McCrimmon is out of the running for sure, as he was recently promoted to GM of the Vegas Golden Knights. Current interim GM Keith Gretzky is an obvious candidate for the seat he’s currently warming. We could have our answer to this burning question in Edmonton sooner rather than later.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Rumour: Elliotte Friedman mentioned the rumblings that the Pittsburgh Penguins are open to trading Evgeni Malkin in his 31 Thoughts.
Analysis: This is one of the more exasperating rumours for the Penguins. Most people, including owner Mario Lemieux, are sure that Malkin will be wearing the black and gold for life. Malkin’s contract carries a no-move clause, and even if he were willing to waive it, the list of places he’d be ready to go would imaginably be short.
The sting of getting swept in the first round by the New York Islanders is still fresh, and the Penguins are certainly keeping the door open for a roster shakeup. Does that shakeup include moving an integral piece like Malkin? It doesn’t seem likely.
Rumour: SBNation.com reports that Phil Kessel is also subject to NHL trade rumours.
Analysis: Kessel has a 23-team no-trade list. That is an obstacle in itself to deal with when considering a trade. The New York Rangers could be a candidate for his landing spot, also mentioned by Friedman. Would the Pens be willing to entertain moving him to a division rival? Probably not. The Rangers are rebuilding and most likely don’t want to send any assets they have Pittsburgh’s way.
Everyone expected Kessel to be more productive than he was this year. But if you look at the numbers, he put up 82 points. This was his third most productive season ever, tying with his 2011-12 season in Toronto. Was he inconsistent? Sure. Is it worth jumping through all the contract hoops and most likely taking a lower trade price that he’d inevitably fetch? No.
Rumour: Elliotte Friedman notes that defenseman Kris Letang is another star player in the trade conversation for Pittsburgh.
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1123364901185961984
Analysis: Another cornerstone of the Penguins organization, another trade rumour. Just how big of a statement is Pittsburgh ready to make? General Manager Jim Rutherford has mentioned trading a defenseman multiple times since the teams’ unsuccessful playoff run ended. Letang is under contract for three more years and has a list of 18 teams he’s available to be traded to.
Letang thrived during the regular season, even looking like a Norris Trophy candidate. However, he looked more inconsistent during the postseason. If the Penguins were seriously considering moving him, it would undoubtedly be the end of an era in Pittsburgh. It’s worth noting that Letang would bring the most return for the club if they did wind up dealing him.
TAMPA, FL – APRIL 21: Pavel Datsyuk #13 of the Detroit Red Wings checks his stick before a face-off against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on April 21, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
